The General named this bay Graciosa, and very gracious it seemed to us; it runs N.N.E. and S.S.W., being at the western end of the island, south of the volcano. A closely cultivated islet, some four leagues long, lies across its mouth, having a narrow channel on one side full of reefs and rocks, and on the other a clear passage half a league wide; so that the circuit of the whole bay is no less than forty leagues.
The soldiers stood to arms all night, their matches lighted, because of the noise of drums, tambourines, and other wild music with which the natives seemed to be working themselves into a war-like frenzy against us; though, as I now believe, they were merely summoning ghosts and spirits to drive us away.
In the morning the beach was alive with sightseers, the news of our arrival having travelled around the shores of the bay, on which a dozen or more villages were built, and the bolder men ventured out in their canoes to inspect the ships. They were of the same race that we had encountered on the day before, though more peaceably inclined. Many wore red flowers in their hair and nostrils, and seemed rejoiced at our coming. We signed to them to leave their weapons in the canoes and climb aboard for presents, but they hung back grinning. At last a stately, grey-haired, tawny-skinned old man, wearing a head-dress of yellow, red and blue feathers and a great many armlets, some of conch and some of boars’ tusks, approached from the nearest village. The crowd on the shore made way for him and cheered as he stepped into a canoe glittering with inlay of pearl-shell, took his seat in the bows and was paddled towards us. Without hesitation he climbed the Jacob’s ladder, two attendants following him, and though he carried a bow in one hand and in the other a sheaf of arrows, his dignity was such that no one thought to disarm him. He stood on the deck looking about him with grave enquiry and presently made signs as if to ask who was our chieftain, using the word Taurique. A soldier took him to the quarter-deck, and when he ascended the ladder, what a resplendent figure waited to receive him!
The savage’s surprise could hardly have been greater than my own. I blinked and rubbed my eyes but, yes, it was the General and none other. Satisfied that God and Saint Domingo had now brought him to the end of his voyage and of his vow, he had emerged from his Franciscan habit, as a butterfly from its chrysalis, and was now sunning himself in a gown of wrought velvet, a slight well-laundered ruff, a light-blue satin suit (the doublet stuffed with many pounds of bombast, the breeches puffed and slashed and fastened to his stockings by red garters fringed with gold), a red velvet hat with a white ostrich plume, and Cordovan shoes with large, shining buckles. Never have I seen the proverb that clothes make a man so plainly substantiated; gone was the friar, and in his place stood the haughty Marquis of Neira, His Majesty’s Prefect of the Solomon Islands, taken in the act of granting his first audience; one foot advanced, and his right hand resting elegantly on the pommel of a sword of state.
The Chieftain approached at an even pace, laid down his weapons in token of peace and, though plainly astonished at the brilliance of the Taurique’s costume, welcomed him as an equal. Don Alvaro in return clasped his hands, embraced him and made much of him. ‘What is your name?’ he questioned him. ‘Who are you?’
Pointing to his heart, the Chieftain replied: ‘Malope.’
The new Marquis politely repeated the name and introduced himself as Don Alvaro de Mendaña.
‘Mendaña!’ echoed the Chieftain. With a very pleasant smile he pointed to the General, and said: ‘Taurique Malope,’ and then to himself: ‘Taurique Mendaña.’
‘No,’ said Don Alvaro, ‘it is contrariwise—you are Malope, I am Mendaña.’ But the other would have none of it; it was his notion that they had exchanged names in token of friendship and that henceforth each of them was bound in goodwill to the other by a tie stronger even than wedlock. He had spoken in a low voice, slowly and deliberately, without the gesticulations that we Spaniards use, though he underlined his meaning by signs. For instance, to enquire whether we were hungry he drew in his belly, assumed a woe-begone expression, raised his eyebrows and then glanced searchingly at us. To find out how long we had been at sea he pointed to the sky, drew a new moon in the air, held up his hand and doubtfully thrust up first one, then two, then three fingers and, as it were, cast the months back over his shoulder.
He was presented with a red butcher’s shirt, a pair of old green velvet gaskins, a leather belt with a brass buckle, and a looking-glass in which to admire himself when I had dressed him in his finery—on occasions like this the valet’s duties always fell to me. He appeared pleased, and gave the General two of his shell armlets in exchange, as well as a carved porpoise tooth. His escort also received gifts: horn combs, beads, little bells, snippets of taffeta and coloured cloth, and a playing-card or two. They silently clapped their hands before their faces, to express their delight; then they stuck the combs into their corded hair, tied the beads and bells around their necks, tucked the snippets under their armlets and, rolling the cards into tubes, thrust them through holes in the lobes of their ears. About ten natives in all were allowed to come aboard, and the soldiers treated them kindly, consenting as before to tuck up their sleeves and roll down their stockings to prove that they were men, not ghosts; after which all were friends. They taught the savages to make the sign of peace by crossing one forefinger over the other, to say amigos, and to clasp hands. They also trimmed their finger-nails and toenails with scissors, and shaved their scanty beards with razors. Of course, every native wanted these instruments for himself, but we had agreed not to cheapen their value by giving them away without a handsome return, as had been done at Santa Cristina. We looked closely for any golden trinket, but saw none; however, it was held that the natives had not sense enough even to value precious metal, let alone mine and smelt it.
The General decided to spend a few days here at anchor, and next morning he took the Colonel with a few soldiers for a sail in the long-boat. They made towards the entrance of the Bay, but on their return that evening neither of them would comment on the day’s work. From their sullen faces we deduced a sharp disagreement, and the Boatswain’s mate, who steered the boat, told me that they had landed on the rocky headland to the north and walked about there for nearly an hour, gesticulating at one another.
All requests for shore leave were refused until Don Alvaro should have assured himself of the friendly disposition of the villagers; though this seemed evident enough. They came and went, bringing us water for our daily use in coconut shells plugged with a stopper of leaves, and showing sincere affection and goodwill. We were also given bananas of several varieties, coconuts, chestnuts like those of the Marquesas Islands, huge three-sided nuts hard to crack but of a very sweet taste, other nuts of the size and shape of dates, cabbage cut from the crown of palm-trees, paw-paws and sugar-cane; also fish of many kinds (some taken by line, others speared with wooden tridents) and, what pleased us most of all—great store of roast pork.
On the third day Malope paid us a ceremonious visit escorted by fifty canoes which, while he was on board, waited in a ring around us. The villagers kept their arms out of sight, but the Colonel mistrusted them, and ordered thirty arquebusiers to line the bulwarks with weapons primed, in case treachery were intended. It so happened that Don Alvaro was at his devotions when Malope arrived and the Colonel, rather gruffly, told him to wait; but he either did not understand, or else thought that the Colonel had no right to interfere in a matter that concerned chieftains. He made some dignified rejoinder and continued on his way.
‘Stop that fellow!’ shouted the Colonel, and the sentry at the top of the companion-ladder raised his piece threateningly. Though no shot had yet disturbed the peace of Gracious Bay, Malope showed fright: perhaps he took the arquebus for a club, or it may be that news of our first day’s encounter had reached him from farther along the coast. He fled like a stag, dodging from side to side of the deck to avoid capture—for several of us tried to detain him and assure him that no harm was meant—then leapt from the bulwarks, climbed into a canoe and w
as soon speeding shoreward, his numerous retinue following behind. As soon as he set foot on the beach, there was a rush of people towards him, and great chattering and laughter as if he were being congratulated on his nimble escape from an ambuscade.
That same evening the natives who occupied a group of huts close to our anchorage, retired to the village, taking all their possessions with them; an action which provoked the suspicions of the high officers, though to me it was patent that Malope had come aboard with the generous intention of inviting us to settle in his territory and was now offering these huts for our use. Don Alvaro decided to send an unarmed emissary to reassure Malope of our goodwill; these savages, he said, were too noble-hearted by far to attack a single man. He called upon the Colonel first; who scornfully refused to volunteer, saying that the only way to speak to these rascals was in the language of arms, and that with twenty good fellows he would undertake to pacify the Bay within a week. Next Don Lorenzo was invited, but he held that it would be worse than murder to send an unarmed man into that cannibal camp. ‘If your Excellency wants to provide your heathen friend with a carcase for his spit, why not sacrifice our little Andrés? Did we not all agree some weeks ago that he would cut up better than any man present?’
‘I am ready to go,’ said I, a little nettled. ‘I own to a high regard for Malope, and have no fear for my life.’
Almost at once I repented my rash offer, but Don Alvaro accepted it with alacrity and I was left with no honourable retreat; so the next morning, after a miserable night, most of which I spent on my knees, they rowed me ashore like a goose on its way to the Michaelmas Fair. When I stepped out on the beach, the first Spaniard ever to have done so, my knees were trembling, but I advanced with as much dignity as I could muster, calling in my heart on Our Lady of Seville. A crowd of natives, dancing joyfully, led me along the coast-road past orchards and yam-gardens, very well-kept, until we reached the village. At its entrance stood the assembly-house, where the war-canoes were also kept, to the number of seven or eight; it was thirty paces long, and its thatched bamboo roof rested on carved posts. One of these posts represented a shark standing on its tail with a man’s body disappearing down the gape of its throat, the others were cut in the shape of chieftains. The ridge-pole and beams were painted with various designs in red: a fight between canoes, a fishing expedition, and warriors dancing obscenely before a devil with lank, striped body, a tail like a dog’s and fishes in his hair. Pigs’ jawbones hung in a row from the wide eaves and, from the ridge-pole, the shin-bones and shoulder-blades of a man, which caused me great apprehension. Twenty or more common huts were arranged in a circle around Malope’s house, which at first I mistook for a temple, and the barn in which he stored his yams.
I was greeted by the assembled warriors with lavish hospitality, and though there was a rush to open my doublet and admire my white skin, and to take other familiarities with my person, at least no women were allowed in the assembly-house, or near it, so that I had no cause to blush.
Upon being asked my business, I said: ‘Malope—Mendaña—amigos,’ and drew a yellow silk kerchief from my pocket. Since this was a gift for their Chieftain they did not dare to touch it; but to conciliate them I distributed a few glass beads and playing-cards. A meal was then set on the floor beside me: a large wooden dish containing boiled bananas, uncooked crabs and prawns, mashed turnips covered with coconut cream, a seaweed having the appearance of grapes, and cake made of sago-pith. I ate with relish, leaving only the raw seafood untasted, and between mouthfuls smiled back cheerfully at my amused hosts.
After I had done, they brought me an unripe nut of the sort that stains the spittle red when it is chewed, and which is called buhio in the Philippines. I accepted it with reluctance rather than risk offending them. They showed me how to bite off and spit out the top of the nut, which is the size of a large plum, then how to hold it sideways between my teeth, crack it open, dip it in powdered lime, roll it in a leaf, and chew. This leaf, being peppery, drowned the taste of the nut, which I presently swallowed, but this was a mistake—the natives spit out what they have chewed—and very soon my blood began to throb violently in my veins. I had a feeling of drunkenness and lost all fear of my hosts. I rose giddily, and asked to be led to the Chieftain. They took me around the village, telling me the names of the various huts, as though I would want to memorize them; showed me a pen full of fine pigs, and a good stone well with a boarded top and steps going down to the water. Every hut had a wall of loose stones around it, with an opening for a door and pots of flowers and sweet-scented shrubs standing just inside. The sides of the huts were weatherboarded and from the roofs rose little cock-lofts reached by ladders, where they stored their provisions.
At last we reached Malope’s house, which was higher than the rest and had a façade decorated with red, white and black lozenges, set between wavy bands of red. Three human skulls were nailed outside to a post. As with the other huts, the only way in was by a round hole at waist height, provided with a shutter; but this one had a porch in front, raised level with the entrance, which was a chieftainly privilege. My guides hung back now, as I mounted boldly on the porch. I was kept waiting a little while and then shown inside by a hunchback with lime-bleached hair.
Some time elapsed before my eyes accustomed themselves to the darkness, but soon I became aware of Malope lying on a low platform behind a circle of cooking-stones, which formed a rude hearth in the centre of the hut. Three men and four women stood about him in attendance. Mats were spread on the floor, and I noticed a pair of large wooden drums in a corner and various weapons hanging from the roof; but otherwise the place was unfurnished, except for earthenware pots and wooden dishes.
‘Malope—Mendaña—amigos,’ I repeated. Raising himself on one elbow, Malope enquired after his brother. In answer I held my belly with both hands, groaned and pointed sadly to a sleeping-mat, my intention being to plead sickness as an excuse for the General’s failure either to greet him yesterday or to come ashore today. Malope expressed his sympathy by kneading his own belly and groaning; then he sent a woman to fetch physic for the complaint—which proved to be a root of wild ginger. I smelled it approvingly, showed my gratitude by placing my hand on my heart, and then proffered the silk kerchief as a peace token. He accepted this with satisfaction, looped it through the lobe of his right ear, and handed me a frontlet of carved pearl-shell to take back to his brother.
He chewed buhio but, to my relief, offered me none. Presently he sent for a pale, plump young girl who came from behind a partition and seemed, by the profusion of her ornaments, to be his daughter. Most of her jewellery consisted of red and white shell beads, strung into patterns; but though weighed down with fillets, bracelets, anklets, necklaces and ear-rings, she wore no shame-fringe, being still a virgin; and here I must say that in this island virginity was as jealously guarded as in Spain, loose behaviour in a woman not being countenanced either before or after marriage.
Malope made me understand that if the General would give him one of his own daughters in exchange—for he knew we had women on board—a double wedding would be celebrated, with much pig-killing, which would unite their houses indissolubly. I clapped my hands in admiration of the girl’s beauty, and promised to advise the General of the great honour intended for him but reported that, alas, he had been blessed with no daughters and was already married. When I tried to persuade Malope that a man could have only one wife, he silenced me with a frown, declaring positively that common men might have only one, but a chieftain must have four or five. In proof, he pointed to his own obedient harem. Unless I misunderstood him, he then offered to accept Doña Ysabel’s cow in lieu of the bride, which would confer equal glory on his village.
I was giving him a goodbye when he pointed to my shoe-buckles and expressed the wish to tie them to his own naked feet. I prized those buckles, but feared to deny him, and so ripped them off; however, I thought it incumbent on me, as an envoy, to ask for a present in return, and pointed to on
e of his armlets. This he would not give me, saying that I was no chieftain, but when I left his house he followed me out and bespoke me one of equal size from a neighbour, who yielded it very grudgingly.
I returned down the coast-road with a jaunty step, and the savages escorted me in friendly fashion to the skiff. When I appeared in the Great Cabin with flowers and feathers stuck in my hat, and a red-stained mouth, the Barretos mocked me and wanted to know how raw human flesh tasted; and though the General assured the high officers that they might now forget their suspicions of the natives, they would not listen either to him or to me.
The farther side of the Bay was ringed with bonfires that night, which were held to be beacons of war, because at dusk three canoes had gone up and down the coast at great speed, as though bearing an urgent message. The soldiers, chafing at the profound peace that had hitherto prevailed and longing for an excuse to use their arms, were greatly encouraged by this sight. ‘The sooner the fighting begins, the sooner it will be over,’ they said, ‘and until we have conquered we shall make no progress with the settlement. Those naked fools treat us as equals, but they must be made to recognize that our arms and religion entitle us to be their lords.’ At dawn the distant fires were still burning.
The Islands of Unwisdom Page 21
